Portable electrical apparatus



July 31, 1962 TADAsHl rGARAsHl 3,046,798

PORTABLE ELECTRICAL APPARATUS Filed March 25, 1959 LJN/En fr j;/ayaras/w' United States Patent O 3,046,798 PGRTABLE ELECTRICALAPPARATUS Tadashi Igarashi, Tokyo, Japan, assigner to SonyKabushikikaisha (Sony Corporation), Tokyo, Japan, a corporation of JapanFiled Mar. 25, 1959, Ser. No. 801,788 Claims priority, application JapanApr. 23, 1958 3 Claims. (Cl. 74-10) This invention relates to a portableelectrical apparatus, and more particularly to a transistor radioreceiving set which is readily `operated by one hand.

An object of this invention is to provide a small and compact portableradio receiving apparatus using transistors, which is easily and simplyassembled.

Another object of this invention is to provide a portable transistorradio receiving set in which tuning for the receiving frequency and thevolume control for the output can be easily and simply selectivelyadjusted by the one hand grasping the set.

Other objects, features and advantages of this invention will -be moreapparent from the following detailed description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. l illu-strates a fragmental sectional side View of the main part ofa radio receiving apparatus -according to this invention, one part of acase being removed, and

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a portable radio receiving apparatusaccording to this invention held in the left hand.

Referring to the drawing, 1 is a case of a small radio receiving set and2 a base lor partition plate located in the case 1. On the oppositesides of the base plate 2 are respectively mounted a variable capacitor3 and a variable resistor R.

In accordance -With this invention a threaded shaft is formed on oneside of a ange member 4 which supplies a casing in which an adjustableelement, such as the variable resistor R, is enclosed. This shaft 5 isinserted into a hole 6 through the base plate 2. To the extended end ofthe threaded shaft 5 is screwed a block member or nut 7 which abutsagainst the opposite -face of the base plate 2. The ange member 4 isclamped on the other side face of the base plate 2.

The variable resistor R has an -adjusting shaft 8 for controlling itsresistance and the nut 7 has an extended shaft 9 which is aligned withthe shaft 8.

ln order to apply the above arrangement to a portable radio receivingset, a sleeve 11, which is preferably formed integrally with a pulleyVand a knob 10 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 9. This shaft which isconnected to the shaft 16 of another adjustable element, such as thevariable capacitor 3, by a lbelt which is put around the pulley 15 andthe pulley 13 which is mounted on the shaft 16. On the shaft 8 isattached another knob 14, which serves to adjust the variable resistorR.

The knobs 10 and 14 are disposed substantially side by side in such amanner that fragmental parts of the rims of the knobs 10 and 14 projectthrough to the outside of one face 17 of the case 1 through recesses 1Sand 19 respectively and so that the thumb of the grasping hand canselectively change the projected parts of the rims of one of the knobs.'Ihis permits rotation and a selective engagement lof both the variablecapacitor 3 and the variable resistor R by the thumb of the graspinghand, as shown in FIG. 2.

Thus, according to this invention, the adjusting shafts S and 9, whichare aligned with each other, are easily and simply mounted on the baseplate 2 by the flange member 4 and the nut 7 which are disposed on theopposite faces `of the base plate 2. Accordingly, other com- Miceplicated arrangements can be dispensed with in the mounting of theshafts 8 and 9 on the base plate 2.

The total length of the aligned shafts Sand 9 is appreciably shortenedso that the width of a case of such a radio receiving set can bereduced. Also the assembly a1'- rangement can be simplified.

It will be appreciated that this invention can be applied to varioustypes of portable and small, hand held electrical apparatus, such as awireless microphone or a hearing aid having adjustable means to bemanually 'adjusted instead of the variable capacitor 3 and variableresistor R `as described hereinbefore.

This invention has an additional advantage in that the thumb of the handwhich grasps the case can selectively engage and actuate the rim of theleft knob 10 or the rim of the right knob 14, thereby enabling bothtuning yand volume control of the portable radio set easily while theset is grasped in one hand.

While I have explained a particular embodiment of my invention, it willbe understood, of course, that I do not Wish to be limited thereto sincemany modifications may be made and I, therefore, contemplate by the`appended claims to cover any such `modifications as fall within thespirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

l. A small electrical -appliance having a generally rectangular and flatcasing of a thin, pocket fitting thickness to be held in one hand andhaving two adjacent, independently manually operable controls, saidcasing having its internal thickness substantially equally -divided byan internal partitioning base plate secured to at least one end of saidcasing, a hole through Isaid base plate adjacent one end of -saidcasing, nut and bolt-like mean-s through said hole clamping said baseplate therebetween and forming the sole mounting and rotary bearings fortwo coaxial and axially spaced apart control discs positioned one oneach side of, and substantially parallel to, said partition plate, saidcasing having two Ispaced apart openings through its thin side adjacentsaid end `and said control discs having only small portions of theirperipheries extending therethrough to be selectively thumb actuated.

2. A pocket portable electrical device comprising a ilat, hand held caseof a thin thickness, an internal thick- .ness partitioning base platesecured in said case and having a hole therethrough adjacent one end ofsaid case, a member having a male portion extending through said holeand an enlarged base plate engaging portion with an axially opencylindrical recess therein, a first adjustable control rotativelysecured in said recess and having a thumb actuated, control `disccoaxially and directly connected thereto, a female member engaging saidmale portion, clamping the other face of said base plate, and having anoutwardly extending shaft means, a second thumb actuated, control discrotatably mounted on said shaft means and having means operativelyconnecting it to a second control, spaced holes through said casing, andonly small portions of the peripheries of said control discs projectingtherethrough in side by side but axially spaced relation to beselectively engaged by the thumb of the hand holding the said device.

3. A pocket portable receiving radio comprising a hat, generallyrectangular, and hand held case of a small and pocket fitting thicknesshaving an internal, thickness dividing, partition plate secured thereinand having =a hole therethrough adjacent one end of said case, yabolt-like member having an enlarged flange clampingly engaging saidplate and axially open to provide a cylindrical recess, a firstrotatively adjustable control in said recess, a thumb actuated diskconnected thereto, a threaded shaft extension of said bolt-like memberextending -through said hole, a ,nut-like member screwed thereon,clampingly engagng said plate, and having an yaxial shaft extensionooxrialwith `Said cylindrical recess, a corbined thumb `actuated discand second control actuating member rotat- ,able onsaid'shaft, a secondcontrol member operatively oonuected thereto, Aopenings 'n said casingadjacent one `end thereof, #and said ,thumb actuated discs extendingonLy 'pantially through .said openings.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED `STATES PATE-NTSHollerith June 13, 1933 Schur `June 3, "1941 Patterson Nov. 6, 1945Patino Mar. 5, 1946 Youhouse Aug. 2, 1949 Corso et al Aug. 14, 1951Giardina Sept. 27, 1955 Turner Jan. 15, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS GermanyApr. 2, 1932 OTHER REFERENCES Pocket'Radio, page 54.

